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Image by Andrey Tikhonovskiy

The Lip
Pinch

Clinical Exam

The lip pinch is evaluated by pinching the upper lip at the level of the canine tooth using a hemostat.  The afferent sensory impulse travels along the infraorbital nerve (a branch of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, CN V).  The efferent response is mediated by the facial nerve (CN VII).

Anatomic Pathway

The lip pinch is evaluated by pinching the upper lip at the level of the canine tooth using a hemostat.  The afferent sensory impulse travels along the infraorbital nerve (a branch of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, CN V).  The efferent response is mediated by the facial nerve (CN VII).

Overview of Anatomy

The lip pinch is evaluated by pinching the upper lip at the level of the canine tooth using a hemostat.  The afferent sensory impulse travels along the infraorbital nerve (a branch of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, CN V).  The efferent response is mediated by the facial nerve (CN VII).

Anatomic Sections

The lip pinch is evaluated by pinching the upper lip at the level of the canine tooth using a hemostat.  The afferent sensory impulse travels along the infraorbital nerve (a branch of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, CN V).  The efferent response is mediated by the facial nerve (CN VII).

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